The finger in M42

[ollypenrice]

I love the finger or hook of gas that curves out of a hole in images of M42. This bit;

I've tried and struggled to see it in the 20 inch though I couldn't have been far from getting there, but tonight Icertainly got it. I was trying a second hand Meade SWA16 in the TEC 140 and the TEC's stunning contrast made it, I think. I could only just see it and wouldn't have been able to sketch it but knowing it from imaging helped me to get a feel for it. Pleased about that.

The SWA is good , by the way, and seems totally sharp edge to edge.

Olly

[allcart]

There's lots to see in M42 Olly. If you rotate it 90 degress counter clockwise there is a pheonix flying out from the flames. As it is I can see Santa cracking his whip in amongst the clouds.

[Ibbo!]

looks like something out of a Kenny everitt sketch

never heard of it before

thanks for the heads up

[Mike73]

Never heard of the 'finger' before either but I'II try and spot it tonight.

A while ago I compared a 26mm Nagler with a 25mm cheaper EP while looking at M42 in a 10"LB and was completely shocked by the difference, yep there was a huge price difference between EP's but the Nagler really showed the detail and contrast in the gas clouds. Like I say, it shouldnt of suprised me really but it was still a 'WOW' moment.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Maybe you should try a UHC or O-III filter. I tried that last time with my C8 and it brought out loads of detail.

[starguest]

About 12 hrs ago, looking at M42 with a UHC filter I got an impression of the toothy, long-eared Gremlin from the "Gremlins" film!!!

[Mr Q]

There's lots to see in M42 Olly. If you rotate it 90 degress counter clockwise there is a pheonix flying out from the flames. As it is I can see Santa cracking his whip in amongst the clouds.

And I can see the yelling boy's face from "Home Alone" in the other half of the photo

[John]

I realise that this thead is 3 years old now but I thought I'd give it some "air time" again because I've been observing Messier 42 this evening and have managed to pick out "the finger" that Olly describes with my 12" dob, First time I can recall doing this. The scalloped bays that the "finger" projects from are sharply defined tonight too, a lovely section of the nebula that I've not given too much attention to, until now.

I've been trying out the Skywatcher Myriad 20mm 100 degree eyepiece that First Light Optics have loaned me and the views of the Great Orion Nebula have been stunning. I've also recently acquired an Omega DGM NBP filter that I've seen favourably discussed a number of times on other forums. It's a UHC type filter and tonight it's been really quite impressive in helping me to tease out the mass of detail, ripples and bays in the gas clouds of this fabulous object. I generally prefer to observe M42 filterless but the DGM NBP is starting to win me over making M42 appear noticably more extensive and more contrasty.

It's also done a great job on M1, the Crab Nebula too

So it's a thumbs up from me for the filter that showed me the finger, if you see what I mean !

[bingevader]

Nice one John.

I was trying out the ES UHC on M42 and M1 too.

It's the most detail I've seen on M42 and M1 was definitely more apparent.

On M1, I tried to swap between the 26mm meade plossl with the filter on a 2" adapter and the 25mm TV plossl without for the closest comparison I could manage, but it proved to be a bit too much like hard work, swapping adapters and refocusing each time.

There was a clear difference with the filter than without, with the nebula becoming more obvious, but I did find focusing more taxing with the dimmer surrounding stars.

I gave up the swapping comparison and put the 24mm 2" Maxvision without the UHC filter in and was surprised to find the view better than with the plossl and UHC filter, not really sure why that should be?

The view was significantly improved again with the addition of the UHC filter to the MV.

I still need a bit more practice and a few more objects under my belt though.

[John]

Good stuff Ben

You do need to keep at it though, I was a bit underwhelmed by the DGM NBP filter the first time out but tonight I gave it some time and it delivered well.

[bingevader]

Any ideas why the MV on it's own would be better than a plossl with filter?

I wasn't sure about the green tinge to M42 either.

Great for prizing out more detail, but did detract from the over all view.

As a spectacle, I think I prefer it without the filter.

[John]

Not sure Ben. I tried the 25mm TV plossl on M42 as well last night and it seemed to show more or less similar levels of contrast and detail to the hyper wide Myriad eyepiece. I sometimes wonder though if viewing deep sky objects with very wide field eyepieces provides the breadth to allow the eye to wander around the view and therefore you get the benefit of some averted vision which is not possible with a relatively narrow field because that makes you stare straight at the object ?

[jetstream]

Great that you observed the "finger" John, there is nice detail in M42. In previous posts I referred to this feature as the "hook in the wing", its great to see Olly's image with it pointed out. I see the first hook well defined, but the second as a smooth "bump" on the wing.

I also like M42 unfiltered, for me with an EP in the 18mm range. That DGM NPB sounds like it works very well, eagerly waiting for more reports John.

[bingevader]

Not sure Ben. I tried the 25mm TV plossl on M42 as well last night and it seemed to show more or less similar levels of contrast and detail to the hyper wide Myriad eyepiece. I sometimes wonder though if viewing deep sky objects with very wide field eyepieces provides the breadth to allow the eye to wander around the view and therefore you get the benefit of some averted vision which is not possible with a relatively narrow field because that makes you stare straight at the object ?

That could very well be the explanation, John, there were times when M1 almost seemed to disappear when looking at it directly through the plossls.

[ollypenrice]

Really glad you got it, John. As my eyes get worse it becomes ever more marginal. I did catch a whiff of it (I think) a couple of nights ago.

Olly

[John]

Thanks for the original post acting as a prompt Olly